LG S80QY Soundbar
By LG · Soundbars · Desk & Streaming Setup · More from LG
- 3.1.3 channel soundbar with wireless subwoofer
- Dolby Atmos & DTS:X with upward-firing height channels
- High Res Audio 24bit/96kHz
- Dolby Vision, 4K and HDR10 passthrough
- VRR & ALLM gaming passthrough
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Summary
A 3.1.3-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundbar with a wireless 8-inch subwoofer and an up-firing center channel tuned for dialogue. Check one thing before buying: it ships without rear speakers, so real surround sound means adding LG’s SPQ8-S kit.
Strengths
- Dialogue is the standout; the up-firing center lifts voices to screen level, and RTINGS rates it great for dialogue.
- Atmos overhead effects are clearly audible for the price class.
- Music is rated very good, helped by a Meridian-designed Music mode.
- Broad feature set: eARC plus a second HDMI input with 4K and Dolby Vision passthrough, Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and VRR/ALLM.
- AI Room Calibration Pro tightens the bass and is worth running.
- Testing found minimal compression at maximum volume.
Weaknesses
- No rear speakers, so it cannot deliver true surround without the add-on kit.
- RTINGS rates surround performance poor and says the bar downmixes Dolby Digital and DTS content to stereo.
- It doesn’t get as loud as rivals and has no graphic EQ.
- A treble dip pushes higher-pitched sounds toward the back of the mix.
- The bar and subwoofer are bulky; the sub looks like a desktop PC.
- Bass and treble adjustments sit on the remote and LED display, not in the app.
Verified specifications
| Channels | 3.1.3. |
|---|---|
| Audio processing | Dolby Atmos and DTS:X with up-firing height channels. |
| Decoders | Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS:X, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD HR and DTS Digital Surround. |
| High-res audio | 24-bit / 96 kHz. |
| Rated power | 480 W RMS total; 260 W across the bar’s seven speakers; 220 W for the subwoofer. |
| Subwoofer | active, wireless, 8-inch driver with a front-firing bass-reflex port. |
| Connectivity | two HDMI ports (one in, one out) with eARC, one optical digital input, one USB 2.0 port, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 (SBC/AAC); no Ethernet and no aux input. |
| Streaming | Chromecast built-in, Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect. |
| Dimensions | bar 1000 × 63 × 135 mm (about 39.4 × 2.5 × 5.3 in), 4.5 kg; subwoofer 201 × 407 × 403 mm, 10 kg. |
| Power use | 99 W typical, 0.5 W standby. |
| In the box | HDMI cable, remote, batteries, wall-mounting kit and warranty card. |
Full research notes and sources
Dialogue and the up-firing center
The third height driver is a center channel aimed at dialogue, not a conventional overhead pair. TechRadar calls it a solid innovation that lifts dialogue to screen level; RTINGS rates dialogue great but says the extra driver doesn’t make a huge difference next to single-center models. If clear voices are why you want a soundbar, this is the feature to buy it for.
Surround sound and the missing rears
The 3.1.3 count covers three height channels and the subwoofer, not discrete rear speakers. RTINGS rates surround performance poor and says the bar has to downmix Dolby Digital and DTS surround content to stereo. To reach 5.1.3 you add LG’s SPQ8-S rear-speaker kit, which TechRadar prices at about $200 (TechRadar, 2022).
Sound quality and setup
RTINGS rates mixed usage very good and music very good, with a neutral mid-range, though a treble dip nudges high frequencies back. TechRadar settled on a -1 treble cut in its room and calls music unremarkable. Atmos overhead effects were clearly audible off a flat 9-foot ceiling in testing. eARC made connection simple, and AI Room Calibration Pro helped mainly by tightening the bass.
Is it worth it?
At the 2022 launch price of $899 it was expensive next to the Sonos Arc, Samsung HW-S800B and Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3, and both reviews treat it as fair value only when discounted well below list. Around $300–500 it is good value for a 3.1.3 Atmos system with eARC, a second HDMI input, Chromecast and AirPlay 2, provided you accept the missing rear speakers. Skip it if you want true surround or a slim all-in-one.
Which model this is
This is LG’s 2022 S80QY, the middle of its Atmos line alongside the S90QY and S95QR, now marked discontinued on LG’s US site. The set is sold as the S80QY bar with an SPQ8-W wireless subwoofer; a datasheet lists the model code S80QY.DEUSLLK and EAN 8806091662637.
Sources
Manufacturer:
Independent reviews:
